Adding some color

This is the house that is on the board as of a few minutes ago. This will be drawn two times in Prismacolor markers and pencils. They go fairly fast. But you have to think about them opposite of pen and ink. Meaning that pen and ink you draw from foreground to back and with color it is back to front. I'll have to look at my notes but I think she wants it done in 2 different seasons. and from 2 slightly different angles. That will be for the better.

The last house, as always took longer than I thought. Wow the tiny bricks were fun to draw, though I had to take numerous breaks and look away and get away. Didnt have to resort to running away though.

Back to the drawing board!
kim

Split level
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Brick Duplex
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Trees in spring
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Tree is a tree is a tree

In celebration of mothers everywhere- for better or worse, I took the weekend off from the drawing board.
Instead I dropped in at our Troop campout, went for a walk and looked at trees and houses, and had KFC 2 times in one day. Im not sure if all grandmothers love the Colonel Sanders but my mom and mother-in-law both do. So we had it morning and night. I took pictures of every event, of course. Im always looking for the right light. I hit it lucky and took one very good picture of my brother-in-law.
On the walks in the neighborhood and in the nature reserve it is pictures of trees. One would think a tree is a tree is a tree but if you take the time to look -trees are facinating. Textures of bark and leaves, composition, shape of trunk, their relationship to their neighbors and on and on. I never noticed trees that much untill I had to draw them. Since they are usually infront of a house they have to be drawn first. Sometimes they are very close to the viewer and detail is what make a tree their tree. People really notice and have said that trees really add to the feeling that this is a custom drawn home complete with all the trees they loved or hated all those years. All in all people are proud of their lawns and their trees.

Back to the drawing board,
Kim

Here is what is on the drawing board now. Quite a few homes look "easy" at first glance but after you get into it you realize the layers of line and surface. What is infront of what, where do the lines go, where are the vanishing points, what would best represent texture and tone, what should I leave out or move.
In this case the flag pole was dead center once I had the sketch layed out. It is moved to the right about a 1/4 inch. Not a big deal and it is still in the middle but it isn't in the exact middle anymore. I did take out the birch in the front as I don't think that would add anything to the composition. Another challenge for me, always, is flags. I really give those allot of thought before any ink goes down. For such a small area I want the flow of the fabric without it looking over worked. Most importantly I want it to look natural.

These last couple weeks of spring I have been studying trees. I love observing the baby leaves. The structure of the tree is out in the open but not bare naked. The wide variety of greens makes me wonder why people don't drive around looking at spring foliage instead of fall. I like spring better and think the colors are the same level if not better than fall.

Back to the drawing board,
Kim

Brick duplex
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Finished this one early yesterday morning. The lightness of the bricks on the left is thanks to a pen that didnt want to work. This house has a ton of trees. Infact, I took aout a major bush that hid most of the patio and door and another oak that was in front of the veritcal windows on the left. I am happy in the result of this one.
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Architect Studio 3D, from the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust

Here is an interesting website. It works slow though and makes you want to go buy a real house planner program. The information and quotes are kind of neat. Gives alittle insite to what how FLW thought
and what the process is.

I am happy to say that I finished the contempory house. For some reason it took way too long. Problem pens and just trying to do too much is the reason actually.

The next drawing is already on the board. A brick duplex that faces NE. Mostly garage from that view but if you are on the bike trail that runs behind you can see how it opens up.

I get to play single parent for a bit so I'm hoping it doesnt take too much drawing time.

Later,
Kim

Architect Studio 3D, from the Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust

Comtempory house, 1962. View is from the south. 

FLW Roadtrip

FLW Roadtrip

As I was looking at FLW buildings in Racine, Wisconsin I remembered that I had this site saved. If any one wanted to research select buildings this site is a good place to start. I am excited with the prospect of seeing the S. C. Johnson building this June. There is a Sea Scout event in Racine and I immediately thought of the couple buildings that are there. The photography on this site is very good. They truly capture both interiors and exteriors. I see he recently added the Museum of the American Indian on the Mall in Washington DC too. I too have pictures but was limited with lenses that day. Something to do on the next trip in DC.

Speaking of Washington DC, on of my favorite cities...... everything I could ask for with its art, architecture, history and government all in walking distance. My eyes were popping and my brain whirling the first visit. Wow!! Everything that I had read about and seen pictures of for years right there in front of me. Details to follow on another day.

For the moment though, I am working on a contempory house that is about 2 miles east of me. Set back from the street and hidden by trees. It faces south but I am drawing it from the west and deleted a huge tree. I got a new .18 tech pen the other day. It seems as thought they only lasted a month. Last year I had a pen that lasted most of the fall. Hopefully I can finish it this week as I need to move on to my next commission.

I am getting my comission calendar firmed up for the rest of the year. If I dont procrastinate too much it should all work out just fine.

Working part time at junior high works well as it leaves some nice chucks of time to draw or run out and take reference pictures or whatever. They are already talking about the fall schedule for next year. It will all work out probably at the last minute. But thats the way it is working for school. Its all about the numbers.

Till next time. -k